Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK
Vegetarian picnics
National Vegetarian Week: 10th to 16th May 2021
National Vegetarian Week runs from 10th to 16th May 2021, and what better time to try out a meat-free diet? A vegetarian diet can be a great way to add colour, texture and variety and it is also generally lower in saturated fat and higher in fibre, which is great news for your heart. We provide tips for getting you started with a healthy vegetarian picnic.
Meat alternatives
Meat is high in protein and finding alternatives can be challenging. There are many meat substitutes available in shops and supermarkets that can add variety to your picnic.
Some meat substitutes, such as vegetarian sausage rolls and Scotch eggs are high in fat and salt and should only be eaten in small quantities. Try swapping meat and fish for protein-rich vegetarian foods in your picnic, such as tofu, beans, pulses, unsalted nuts, seeds, eggs and reduced calorie yoghurts.
Include a variety of foods
If you do not eat a wide variety of vegetarian foods, you could miss out on essential nutrients, such as iron, calcium and vitamin B12. Try to include vegetarian foods from each of the food groups shown in the Eatwell Guide in your picnic.
Look online for healthy picnic recipes that include wholegrain foods, low-fat dairy products, unsalted nuts, seeds, beans and pulses and plenty of fruit and vegetables.
You can find recipes and information about hosting a picnic at Heart Research UK’s Big Scottish Picnic webpage: https://heartresearch.org.uk/bsp/
Alzheimer Scotland has received over £8000 from Nationwide Building Society to help fund the UK’s first Virtual Dementia Resource Centre to support families living with dementia across Scotland.
This is part of a wider grants programme at Nationwide – any Nationwide employee can apply for a grant of up to £10,000 on behalf of a local charity. Twenty four charities across the UK have received a share of just over £200,000 in the recent round of grants, with Alzheimer Scotland being one of the successful charities.
Alzheimer Scotland is Scotland’s leading dementia charity. They support and enable people living with dementia to live well with the disease, keeping them connected to their community. They provide a network of specialist Dementia Advisors, NHS Dementia Nurses, Dementia Research Centres, a Freephone 24-hour Dementia Helpline and numerous local support services in communities across Scotland.
Alzheimer Scotland is building the UK’s first Virtual Dementia Resource Centre (VRC) to help keep people connected and to ensure that no one faces dementia alone.
This, innovative digital project will offer a warm and welcoming online space for people to meet, share experiences and access information, support and expertise. It will make the charity’s invaluable services permanently accessible, 24 hours a day, to people living with dementia, their carers and families across Scotland.
Specifically, Nationwide’s investment will fund the development of the financial advice zone within the VRC, which will be a hub of information to give advice, guidance and recommendations around practical money matters for those on a journey with dementia.
William Campbell, Nationwide Building Society Branch Manager in Oban, comments: “I work really closely with Alzheimer Scotland by arranging for all of the Nationwide Branches in Scotland to become Dementia Friendly through receiving virtual training sessions delivered by Alzheimer Scotland.
“When the opportunity to apply for a grant for the charity came up, I jumped at the chance. With many charities struggling for funding in these times, it was a proud day working for Nationwide hearing Alzheimer Scotland had been chosen to receive a grant for their project.”
Claire Du Preez from Alzheimer Scotland said: “We are enormously grateful to Nationwide for this generous donation. The impact of COVID-19 on our dementia community has been devastating and the people we support have never needed us more.
“Our new Virtual Resource Centre will help expand our reach, making our support accessible to all. The financial advice area, funded by Nationwide, will be a crucially important resource, guiding families through the practical implications of financial management post-diagnosis, and offering key advice and recommendations to better prepare for the future.
“On behalf of the charity, I would like to thank Nationwide for this welcome support. It will make such a big difference.”
Parents and grandparents are choosing to pass on wealth early to help children get on the ladder
Over a third (35%) of High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) and business owners in Scotland have met a financial planner for guidance on passing on wealth
A third of individuals have spoken with their loved ones about how they will distribute their assets
But only 2 in 10 (19%) have created a will
The ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ continues to fuel the Scottish property market as parents and grandparents choose to pass on wealth early to help the younger generation get on the ladder according to research by Rathbone Investment Management.
Home ownership continues to remain out of reach for many young people, with house price growth increasing by 6.9% across Scotland in the last twelve months.[2] The COVID-19 pandemic has also caused financial difficulty for many and has exacerbated the challenges facing young people wishing to get onto the ladder. The ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ has therefore stepped in to support.
Rather than passing down via inheritance with the risk of a large tax liability, 28% of those surveyed have or are considering passing on their wealth early in order to help children and grandchildren with property purchases or other significant expenses. 29% of individuals have put money into a trust for their children or grandchildren, and a quarter (26%) have contributed to their university expenses.
The decision to pass wealth down early is partly down to a larger trend over the last year that saw many look to get their financial affairs in order. Indeed, with national lockdowns and continuing social restrictions in place, many people have had more time to plan ahead and explore ways in which they can put a financial plan in place.
Over a third (35%) of Scottish High Net Worth Individuals (HNWI) and business owners surveyed have met a financial planner for guidance on passing on their assets.
More widely, a third of individuals (33%) have spoken with their loved ones about their financial plans for the future. However, only a fraction of people have made these plans official. Indeed, just two in ten surveyed (19%) have made a will.
Kindar Brown, senior financial plannerat Rathbone Investment Management: “COVID-19 has caused many individuals to think about how they might best support their loved ones financially. The difficulty of getting onto the property ladder has called for the ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ to step up and provide a helping hand.
“With all the events of the last twelve months, putting a financial plan in place has moved further to the front of many peoples’ minds, highlighted by the uptick in enquiries to speak with a financial planner.
“Taking the time to review your financial affairs now and make sure everything is in order can provide peace of mind that your loved ones will be protected, and your wishes met, should the worst happen.
“As part of your plan, you could for example consider whether passing on wealth during your lifetime rather than within your will would make sense for your circumstances.
“If you won’t have need of the money in the future, then helping your children or grandchildren with those important – and often costly – life stages could be an effective and tax-efficient route to take, depending on your situation.”
Things to consider when creating a financial plan
Establish a financial plan
A good financial plan starts with aspirational goals – it is about focusing on what is important to you and what you want to achieve. It can help you determine whether you are on track to meet your goals and help you envisage your financial future.
You might want to plan for retirement and understand how much you will need to afford you the lifestyle you wish or perhaps you are concerned about the costs of long term care or making sure your family are provided for in the event of your death? Once you understand how much you require to meet your own lifestyle goals, you can identify how much you can afford to gift to your family during your lifetime without leaving yourself financially vulnerable.
A financial planner can guide you through the various aspects and help you put a plan of action in place.
Make a will and regularly review it
Although creating a will may seem a little daunting, it’s a good place to start when looking to get your financial affairs in order. A correctly drafted will can ensure that your wealth is distributed to your loved ones as you wish and can prevent delays in doing so.
It’s important to regularly review your will in order to ensure it reflects your current wishes. This is particularly important after life events like marriage, divorce and the birth of children or grandchildren.
Consider whether you want to gift and how much
Once you’ve established your financial plan and your will has been drafted, you will have a better understanding as to whether making gifts to your family is affordable. Gifting during your lifetime can be an efficient way to pass on wealth and help reduce the inheritance tax payable on your estate when you die.
There are a number of gifts you can make without paying tax including an exempt amount of £3,000 per annum and unlimited small gifts of up to £250 per person.
You can also of course gift larger amounts, however if you die within seven years of making the gift it may be liable to inheritance tax depending on the value of your estate
Scottish communities called on to join UK’s largest ever collaboration to reduce river litter
Keep Scotland Beautiful are delighted to be part of a the new Treasure Your River, campaign, wich launched this week. The campaign will help reduce the huge amount of litter entering the River Forth and subsequently the sea.
We are working with Hubbub to call for businesses, community groups, residents and other organisations situated along the River Forth and its estuary – from Stirling, down to Edinburgh and along the Fife and East Lothian coastline – to get involved.
The campaign will run over the next six months and the programme of activities includes visiting robot boats and a recycled fishing for litter punt, an exciting art installation and litter surveys and clean up activity.
Organisations across the UK, including the Angling Trust, Scottish Canals, Canal & River Trust, Keep Wales Tidy, Mersey Rivers Trust, Sustainable Hive, Thames 21, The Rivers Trust and companies like Coca-Cola and Costa have already pledged to do their bit. Now, in Scotland we are on the look-out for volunteers to support the campaign.
In 2019, Hubbub’s polling1 found that 75% of UK adults wanted to do more to help tackle marine litter. After a year of lockdown people’s appreciation of nature has risen further and Treasure Your River will provide more opportunities for people around the UK to get involved and help protect our rivers and seas.
Treasure Your River will engage the public on how they can make a difference through simple changes such as taking their rubbish home with them, providing tools and guidance for litter picks and responsible disposal of fishing tackle.
As well as tackling littering behaviour with eye-catching bins and activities, the campaign aims to create a legacy for each river, with an army of regular volunteers and litter-clearing infrastructure.
Barry Fisher, KSB CEOsaid: “We’re delighted to be working with Hubbub to bring ‘Treasure Your River’ to the communities along the River Forth. This exciting campaign complements our source-to-sea litter activity on other iconic Scottish rivers.
“Our data shows that we are facing a litter emergency in Scotland, and with 80% of marine litter coming from land, often via our waterways, we are looking forward to collaborating with others across the UK to tackle this global issue.
“Increasing awareness of lockdown litter levels have galvanised action across Scotland and we have seen an upsurge in positive activity as people pledge to litter pick the places they love – now we’re eager to build on this by supporting those living and working along the Forth to unite with others to take collective action to stop litter entering the sea via the river and its tributaries.”
Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-founder of Hubbubsaid: “As lockdown restrictionsare lifted there is increased concern about the amount of litter in our public and green spaces. Treasure Your River aims to make the connection between litter in our towns and cities and plastic in the oceans, and to offer people something positive they can do about it.
“The majority of plastics in the oceans are carried there by rivers; the River Mersey for example has proportionately higher levels of microplastic pollution than the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. We invite any individual or organisations along these rivers to come together and help halt the flow of litter into the sea.
“There’s something for everyone, whether you’re a local business, a sailing club, a school, a charity or a resident.”
Treasure Your River aims to be the UK’s largest ever collaborative effort to prevent and reduce the amount of litter in our waterways, tackling six of the UK’s largest river systems: the Avon, Forth, Mersey, Severn, Thames and Trent and their tributaries.
The campaign is being run by environmental charity Hubbub with funding from the Coca-Cola Foundation. It will initially focus on preventing litter from entering the rivers and clean-up activities in seven major cities based on these rivers and the waterways that flow into them – Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Nottingham, which between them are home to 1 in 6 of the UK population.
More than three million people vaccinated in Scotland
The vaccination programme has delivered first doses of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to more than three million people – 66.6% of Scotland’s adult population.
The landmark was reached on Friday 14 May. Nataliya Dasiukevich from Milngavie was among those vaccinated on the day the milestone was reached. The 45 year old received her first dose at the Allander Leisure Centre in Bearsden.
The national vaccination programme is now moving through those aged 40 – 49 years old and more than 50% of this age group have come forward to receive their first vaccination.
As the programme progresses through this group, appointments are being scheduled for those aged 30-39 years old. In line with the latest advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) people in this age group will be offered an alternative to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine when it is appropriate to do so.
Meanwhile 1,599,519 of the population have received their second dose which offers greater and longer lasting protection against the virus.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said; “It is down to the enormous efforts of our vaccination teams around the country that more than three million people in Scotland – two thirds of the adult population – have received their first dose and I would like to say a huge thank you to them and all those who have taken up their offer of a vaccine.
“The vaccination programme is one of the main ways – along with restrictions and testing – that we are working to beat this virus and so it is crucial that everyone attends for their appointments when they are offered. This is equally important for those receiving appointments for their second dose as these offer longer lasting protection against COVID-19.
“It is great news that more than half of 40-49 year olds have now come forward and had their vaccine. Everyone has a role to play in helping to bring this virus under control and we want to see our high uptake rates continuing through all the age groups. I would urge all 40-49-year-olds to take the chance of getting vaccinated when your chance comes.
“The latest advice from the JCVI regarding 30- 39 year olds is clear that it is based on the current low prevalence of the virus and the availability of alternatives to the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine. If the situation changes the advice is that vaccination of adults aged 30-39 years with any of the UK authorised vaccines is always better than no vaccination, except where there are specific medical reasons for not doing so.
“Supplies permitting, we still expect to offer a first dose to all adults in Scotland by the end of July.”
Ms Dasiukevich said: “I am delighted to have had my first vaccine and I hope it encourages everyone in my age group to take up their offer of a vaccine as it is by doing so and following restrictions we can start to think about a return to normal life.
“I want to thank everyone at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde – all the staff were reassuring and the process was clearly explained. I was also give a leaflet with further information. I look forward to getting my second dose in around twelve weeks’ time.”
Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Dr Linda De Caestecker said: “Thank you to everyone who has come out to get their vaccination so far. The rollout has been the most significant of any vaccination programme ever undertaken by the Health Board and the numbers of doses administered both within NHSGGC and across Scotland is hugely encouraging.
“Our staff have been the driving force behind the local rollout, and we thank them for their ongoing dedication and enthusiasm during this difficult period.
“The vaccine provides our best way out of the coronavirus pandemic and a return, in time, to the things we’ve all missed. We continue to urge everyone to take up the opportunity to get vaccinated against COVID-19.”
More than 36 million people in the UK have now been vaccinated with 1 dose and 20 million have received 2 doses.
A new name will be appearing on Civil Service Strollers shirts this season as a result of a new local partnership.
Strollers club secretary Keith Stewart explained: “We are delighted to announce that this season we have entered an agreement with Pilton Community Health Project (PCHP).
“We are currently looking at the ways that we can work together to promote and deliver effective health and wellbeing practices.
“Here at the Strollers, the tough year that we have all had has opened our eyes to the view that if you are healthy, you are wealthy. So, this season, instead of seeking sponsorship in the current economic climate, we have decided to support PCHP by promoting them on our youth and Lowland League teams shirt fronts and around the pitch at our own expense.
“We look forward to building a strong relationship with PCHP.”
PCHP’s Dawn Anderson said: “Pilton Community Health Project are delighted to announce a new partnership with Civil Service Strollers FC. This opportunity to work alongside Civil Service Strollers will help even more local people take steps to better health and increase access to a wide range of wellbeing initiatives tailored for the Club’s members and their families.
“Together, we hope to increase the impact of our resources locally, sharing ways to cope with the multiple impacts of the pandemic on our community, and ultimately feel stronger through looking after ourselves and each other.
“We welcome this innovative approach by the Civil Service Strollers and look forward to working with their members and developing a strong community partnership.”
Santander has apologised to customers for a ‘techinal problem’ which saw customers unable to pay bills or access cash yesterday. The problem has now been resolved and the bank says some branches will open today.
In a statement issued last night Santander said: “All of our banking services are now working as normal.
“We are very sorry for the inconvenience you’ve experienced today. If you need help, some of our branches will be open on Sunday from 10am to 12pm. We’ll publish a list of these tomorrow.”
The bank has yet to fully explain the cause of the problem.
Gareth Shaw, Head of Money at Which?, said:“These technical issues will be causing stress for many Santander customers – with people reporting that they have been unable to make online payments or in some cases purchase food in their local supermarket.
“Customers can incur fines, penalties and fees when they’re not able to access their finances, so the bank must offer compensation to all those who have been impacted in this way.
“These problems demonstrate why it is vital that banks invest to ensure their systems are up to the task of protecting their customers’ accounts and maintaining the services they rely on.”
Chief Superintendent Mark Sutherland, Police Scotland’s Divisional Commander for Greater Glasgow, issued a statement last night following the scenes across Glasgow as Rangers fans celebrated their title victory:
“During the evening of Saturday, 15 May 2021, Rangers supporters continued to gather and celebrate the awarding of the league championship trophy in George Square.
“Throughout the day Police Scotland had managed the gathering appropriately tackling anti-social behaviour and encouraging dispersal under Scottish Government Coronavirus regulations.
“As celebrations continued sections of the crowd became increasingly disorderly, property was damaged and people were assaulted. Our officers became the focus of the crowd’s attention with missiles and flares being thrown at them. Our policing response has been proportionate. We have responded appropriately and consistently to the behaviour of those gathered.
“This disgraceful behaviour which clearly endangered public and officer safety could not be tolerated and officers dressed in full public order equipment and, after appropriate warnings were given, moved in to disperse those present.
“Although most of those present dispersed, a number remained and confronted officers with violence and aggression. Missiles were thrown and officers came under direct attack as George Square and the surrounding area was cleared.
“I strongly condemn the behaviour of these supporters who have not only placed our officers at risk but have sought to damage the image and reputation of this great city, especially during this critical period of the pandemic.
“I would like to place on record my thanks to the police and partners who manged this incident, especially those officers who put themselves in danger to bring this violent and disorderly gathering to an end.
“So far we know that three officers have been injured and more than 20 people have been arrested.
“We will be continuing our enquiries and my message is clear that if you have been involved in these ugly scenes then we you will be identified and arrested.”
Scottish Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said last night:
Rangers FC have yet to make a public statement on last night’s events, and neither SPFL or the SFA have commented so far.
Following a competitive procurement process, it is recommended that the £1.1million contract for the pre-development services for the brownfield site be awarded to award-winning housebuilder Cruden Homes (East) Limited ahead of the full development starting in early 2022.
During the pre-development, work will be carried out to prepare for construction, including finalising designs and selecting a net zero carbon energy solution for the entire site, contributing to the Council’s ambitious target to reach net-zero emissions by 2030.
The masterplan for the site was approved in 2016 following an extensive programme of community consultation and regular engagement on proposals for the site has continued with the Fountainbridge Sounding Board, a forum bringing together the area’s key stakeholders.
The masterplan will enable the transformation of the site into a mix of uses including; new homes, offices, shops, social enterprise and community spaces knitted together by high quality public realm.
The development will complement both the new Boroughmuir High School to the west and Vastint Hospitality’s “New Fountainbridge” development to the east.
The housing element of the development will see a total of 436 new homes built. This will comprise 113 homes for social rent, with over 10% wheelchair accessible, 64 homes for mid-market and market rent and 259 homes for private sale or rent.
Commercial, social enterprise, retail and community spaces will feature within both the affordable and private housing phases, along with a 100,000 square foot office building which will provide space for early-stage tech companies to “scale up”.
A cohesive, high quality public realm will create attractive new spaces to socialise on the banks of the Union Canal while a wide range of community benefits and fair work proposals will also be delivered.
These will include a £100,000 community fund for projects to enhance the canal towpath, creating park, commissioning local arts projects, work experience placements and apprenticeship opportunities for Boroughmuir High School pupils and the long-term unemployed, and summer internships paying the Real Living Wage.
Councillor Rob Munn, Finance and Resource Convener, said: “An extensive process and strong scrutiny has gone into this procurement process to get us to this point. We’ll look to discuss this at committee next week and hope to agree that we have a pre-development partner in place that shares our vision while also offering us best value.
“Since the purchase of this underused brownfield site, and the development of the new Boroughmuir High School, we now want to deliver more social and affordable housing and space for businesses, particularly creating space for the data driven and digital sectors that are so important to Edinburgh’s economic recovery.
“It’s important that we build affordable homes across the city and in the areas that people want to live so it’s great that these homes are located so close to the city centre.
“The development will provide homes that are both cost effective to heat and wheelchair accessible and will be a mix of council housing and mid-market homes, which will be managed by the council’s Edinburgh Living.”
Councillor Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener, said:“Seeing our masterplan getting closer to becoming a reality is very exciting and I look forward to seeing the site start to take shape and realise our ambitions for Fountainbridge.
“This development will bring a great regenerative feel to this area of the city and through the community benefits programme we have agreed as part of this development contract we also hope to bring new jobs and training opportunities for local people, offer opportunities for local artists while also enhancing existing public spaces in and around Fountainbridge.”
The Council and its agreed development partner, alongside the local community will work together to finalise the plans for the area over the coming months. Thereafter construction on the site will commence subject to final agreement amongst the parties.
At the end of the pre-development period, should both parties wish to proceed, further Committee approvals will be sought to proceed to the construction phase.
Police Scotland has once again partnered with a national security company to help tackle bike thefts as part of the ongoing Pedal Protect campaign.
Selectamark Security Systems PLC, which owns BikeRegister, have previously provided the service with a number of their SelectaDNA tagging spray kits, which were used successfully in Edinburgh to address the issue of crimes being committed on motorcycles.
In addition SelectaDNA property marking kits weredeployed as part of Operation Kapel, which took place within the Gorbals area of Glasgow and reduced housebreaking by 100%.
Prior to the launch of Pedal Protect, each local policing division within Police Scotland received a free BikeRegister starter kit from Selectamark to establish if they would be of use to the campaign.
Now, divisions have begun ordering various quantities of these kits to distribute to communities across the country free of charge.
The kit contains two highly durable and tamper-resistant QR barcode labels, which can be scanned with a smart phone to identify your bike on the BikeRegister website, and determine whether it is stolen.
Each kit marks one bike and serves as a visible deterrent, as well as providing police with an enhanced investigative tool in the event a cycle is stolen and subsequently recovered.
Pedal Protect was launched on Friday, 26 March, 2021 and the initiative aims to reduce a national rise in bike thefts throughout Scotland by providing the public with a range of crime prevention and security advice, as well as offering services such as bike marking and registering at various locations.
In addition, policing teams will continue to carry out evidence gathering and enforcement activity to bring bike thieves to justice and reunite stolen cycles with their rightful owners.
Superintendent Matt Paden, Police Scotland’s Acquisitive Crime Lead, said: “On a number of previous occasions, we have successfully worked with Selectamark Security Systems to reduce various crime trends that have occurred in Scotland.
“We are confident this latest partnership will also be equally beneficial, not only to our investigative approaches, but to deterring and preventing bike crimes taking place in the first instance.
“Registering your bike on the BikeRegister is of vital importance to ensuring that, in the event, your cycle is taken, that we have all opportunities at our disposal to get it back to you. I’d encourage all members of the cycling community to visit www.bikeregister.com for more information on the BikeRegister or to request your own personal membership kit.”
James Brown, Managing Director of Selectamark, said: “Police Scotland continues to work tirelessly to reduce bike crime and have used BikeRegister bike marking kits for many operations across the country to tackle cycle theft.
“Not only does BikeRegister help reduce instances of cycle theft, but it also enables cyclists to be reunited with their bikes after they have been stolen.
“Police Scotland are one of the top forces for recovering stolen bikes which they have achieved through their own operational methods including working closely with second-hand cycle shops to make sure they are checking BikeRegister before they buy and sell cycles to ensure they are not registered as stolen.
“We would also encourage all cycle retailers to play their part in the fight against bike crime and mark and register all new bikes they sell.”
